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midwifereading's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I hate rating classics...but if I stick to how it made me feel, then, it's two stars. Squarely in the "It was okay" space for me.
This version is apparently considered the closest to the original Syrian manuscript, and doesn't have Aladdin, Ali-Baba, or Sindbad. Go figure I would pick the version without anything I had previously heard of!
That's okay though. It's quite weird enough for my 21st century eyes.
Weird.
Women are either sex objects or sorceresses (and always property). Men are all the "most handsomest." Throw in a few magic demons (djinn, really), lots of swooning and pining and you've got the idea.
Still, the poetic, lyrical style is beautiful. Just because it's out of my depth, culturally, doesn't mean it doesn't have value. Another classic that was worth my time.
This version is apparently considered the closest to the original Syrian manuscript, and doesn't have Aladdin, Ali-Baba, or Sindbad. Go figure I would pick the version without anything I had previously heard of!
That's okay though. It's quite weird enough for my 21st century eyes.
Weird.
Women are either sex objects or sorceresses (and always property). Men are all the "most handsomest." Throw in a few magic demons (djinn, really), lots of swooning and pining and you've got the idea.
Still, the poetic, lyrical style is beautiful. Just because it's out of my depth, culturally, doesn't mean it doesn't have value. Another classic that was worth my time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
carefulfearanddeaddevotion's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
some of the stories were repetitive or dragged on for too long, but mostly captivating and oftentimes funny
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Confinement, Physical abuse, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Torture, Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Slavery, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty
irmgardk's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Racism, and Antisemitism
displacedcactus's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Do you have fond memories of reading some version of Arabian Nights as a child? Are you a nerd? Do you think that more books should be at least as big as a dictionary? Then you owe it to yourself to pick up this awesome edition of Arabian Nights.
In addition to the stories you know and love, this book has an extensive introduction and afterward, lots of annotations (as you would expect from the title...) and a ton of artwork from previous illustrated editions, artists from the MENAHT region, stage and film productions, artifacts, etc etc.
No, this isn't the sort of book you can easily throw in your bag to go to the coffee shop or beach, but it's an entertaining-yet-scholarly read that rewards you for being willing to bear the weight of its 700+ pages and hardback cover.
In addition to the stories you know and love, this book has an extensive introduction and afterward, lots of annotations (as you would expect from the title...) and a ton of artwork from previous illustrated editions, artists from the MENAHT region, stage and film productions, artifacts, etc etc.
No, this isn't the sort of book you can easily throw in your bag to go to the coffee shop or beach, but it's an entertaining-yet-scholarly read that rewards you for being willing to bear the weight of its 700+ pages and hardback cover.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, Racism, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Sexism, Animal death, Death, and Death of parent
leguinstan's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Racism, Misogyny, and Ableism
sarah_speaks's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Misogyny
Minor: Slavery
atrus's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery and Sexism
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